OREGON CITY -- How and where Clackamas County develops over the next half-century will be on the table Tuesday, when county commissioners open one of the most anticipated land-use hearings in years. The hearing, along with subsequent discussion among the five commissioners, will go a long way toward determining which areas of the county will accommodate future urban development and... Full story »

Jesus Nieves Olivares was candid with a Utah trucking outfit four years ago, when he applied to become a driver: He had gone to prison for killing three men, and he had once been a cocaine user. But this didn't stop the company from giving him a few weeks training and pointing him at the open road. Nieves Olivares, who... Full story »

The tough talk signaled the beginning of what could be a bitter fight over the fate of two budget-balancing tax measures passed by the Oregon Legislature this year. A union-backed group charged Monday that voters should be wary about signing an anti-tax petition because a third of the canvassers have criminal convictions. Leaders of the petition drive fired back that... Full story »

SALEM -- Two years ago, Oregon legislators banned smoking from bars, expanded smoke-free workplace laws and passed a big tax on cigarettes to pay for health care for uninsured kids. But this year, the state's budget problems have stolen the spotlight and another attempt to raise taxes on cigarettes is dead. Full story »

Recently, The Desk highlighted the case of a frustrated consumer looking to find resolution with a major airline by taking his case before a judge. This week, a consumer aims to take his disagreement with an auto mechanic to a higher power, via a mediation group -- Peacemaker Ministries. Read more Full story »

Oregon's threatened species and the special habitats they depend on got a $2.63 million lift Monday from the U.S. Department of Interior. Five grants will help purchase or manage land in four counties and about 75,000 acres of state-managed highway rights-of-way. Full story »